Animal Sciences Commons^™

Management And Technology Solutions For Improving Milk Quality, Amanda E. Sterrett

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Mastitis is one of the most common and expensive dairy cattle diseases. Mastitis prevention and management are key factors in herd health and improved milk quality. One objective of this research was to evaluate management solutions to maintain a low somatic cell count, based on survey responses from Kentucky dairy producers. Because hyperkeratosis may increase mastitis incidence, another objective of this research was to examine changes in teat end hyperkeratosis in a herd transitioning from a standard pulsation milking system to an individual quarter pulsation milking system. The last objective of this research was to evaluate technologies that monitored rumination …

Phosphorus Digestibility And Phytate Degradation In Long Yearlings And Mature Horses, Ashley Fowler

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Much of the phosphorus (P) in grain-based concentrates fed to growing horses is in the form of phytate-P. Little is known about the ability of young horses to degrade phytate-P or whether age affects mineral digestion in horses. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of age on P, calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) digestibility and phytate-P degradation. Four long yearling geldings and 4 mature geldings were fed a diet of alfalfa cubes, timothy cubes and a pelleted concentrate. The diet contained 0.28% total P and 17.4% of that P was in the phytate form. There was …

Dietary Antioxidant Supplementation (Economase–Bioplex) To Alleviate Adverse Impacts Of Oxidized Oil On Broiler Meat Quality: A Chemical, Textural, Enzymatic, And Proteomic Study, Rebecca Delles

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

This study investigated the influence of dietary antioxidants and quality of oil on the oxidative and enzymatic properties of chicken broiler meat stored in an oxygen-enriched package (HiOx: 80% O₂/20% CO₂) in comparison with air-permeable polyvinylchloride (PVC) or skin (SK) packaging systems during retail display 2–4 °C for up to 14, 7, and 21 d, respectively. Broilers were fed a diet either with a low-oxidized oil (peroxide vale POV 23 meq O₂/kg) or with a high-oxidized oil (POV 121 meq O₂/kg), supplemented with an antioxidant pack (200 ppm EconomasE and organic minerals …

The Effect Of Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction On Protein Metabolism And Insulin Sensitivity In Aged Horses, Laurel M. Mastro

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) typically occurs in horses older than 15 years of age and is characterized by hair coat abnormalities, muscle atrophy and decreased insulin sensitivity. The first objective of this research was to compare the rate of whole body protein metabolism and relative abundance of key factors in the signaling pathways associated with muscle protein synthesis and protein breakdown in response to feeding in Control and PPID horses. No differences (P > 0.05) were seen between the PPID and Control groups in whole-body protein metabolism or post-prandial activation of the muscle signaling pathways regulating skeletal muscle protein …

The Causes And Consequences Of Individual Variation In Parental Care Behavior, Daniel P. Wetzel

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Behavioral traits can be remarkably flexible depending on the conditions in which they are expressed, yet, in spite of this flexibility, persistent differences between individuals appear to limit the potential expression of behaviors. For example, despite evidence that parents provide variable amounts of parental care in response to changing environmental conditions, they also differ in the overall level of care they provide. I used a behavioral reaction norm approach to study individual variation in parental care behavior in free-living house sparrows (Passer domesticus). I investigated the nature of this variation by studying the relationship between different forms of …

Evidence For The Maturation Of Cellular Immune Responses In Equine Infectious Anemia Virus-Infected Ponies, Chong Liu

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) has been used as a model to investigate protective mechanisms against lentiviruses. Unlike other lentiviruses, EIAV replication can be eventually controlled in most infected horses leading to an inapparent carrier state free of overt clinical signs which can last for many years. Maintenance of this carrier state is absolutely dependent on active immune responses as evidenced by the fact that immunosuppressive drugs can induce the recurrence of disease. However, the immune mechanisms that are responsible for this control of infection are not yet identified. As the resolution of the initial infection is correlated with the …

Equine Serum Antibody Responses To Streptococcus Equi And Streptococcus Zooepidemicus, Rafaela De Negri

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Streptococcus zooepidemicus (Sz) and Streptococcus equi (Se) share 98% DNA sequence homology, but display different pathogenic properties. Infection by one organism does not cross-protect against the other. To better understand pathogenic differences between these organisms and gain information about which proteins are expressed in horses infected experimentally with Se, intrauterine Sz or naturally with respiratory Sz we compared antibody specificities of convalescent sera using ELISA. These comparisons were based on sets of 8 and 14 immunoreactive recombinant proteins of Se strain CF32 and Sz strain NC78, respectively. Sera from donkeys that were previously naturally affected with strangles and later developed …

Development Of A New Allelic Discrimination Real-Time Pcr Assay For The Diagnosis Of Equine Herpesvirus-1 And Characterization Of The Virulence Determinants Of The Virus, Kathryn L. Smith

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) can cause acute upper respiratory tract disease, abortion, neonatal death and neurological disease in horses. Rapid, accurate and timely diagnosis of EHV-1 infection in horses is important to curtail the spread of this pathogen. It has been reported that the neuropathogenic phenotype of EHV-1 can result from a single non-synonymous nucleotide substitution at position 2254 (A→G₂₂₅₄) in open reading frame 30 (ORF30). This was the basis for the development of an allelic discrimination, real-time PCR assay to distinguish between potential neuropathogenic and non-neuropathogenic EHV-1 strains. However, PCR analysis of a panel of EHV-1 abortion isolates …

Sex Determination In Beetles: Production Of All Male Progeny By Parental Rnai Knockdown Of Transformer, Jayendra Nath Shukla, Subba Reddy Palli

Entomology Faculty Publications

Sex in insects is determined by a cascade of regulators ultimately controlling sex-specific splicing of a transcription factor, Doublesex (Dsx). We recently identified homolog of dsx in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Tcdsx). Here, we report on the identification and characterization of a regulator of Tcdsx splicing in T. castaneum. Two male-specific and one female-specific isoforms of T. castaneum transformer (Tctra) were identified. RNA interference-aided knockdown of Tctra in pupa or adults caused a change in sex from females to males by diverting the splicing of Tcdsx pre-mRNA to male-specific isoform. All the pupa and adults developed from Tctra …

Viable Alternative Bedding Materials For Compost Bedded Pack Barns, Brandy L. Collins

Kaleidoscope

No abstract provided.

Reducing Endophyte-Related Economic Losses, Don Ball

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Tall fescue is native to Europe and was rarely planted in the United States until after the first four decades of the 20th century. However, since the release of the variety ‘Kentucky 31’ in 1943, this versatile cool season perennial grass has been widely planted for forage, turf, and conservation purposes, with most of the acreage planted consisting of this variety. “Fescue” has many attributes including wide adaptation, easy establishment, a long growing season, good forage and seed yield, and tolerance of a wide range of management conditions.

Horse Pastures: How Much Tall Fescue If Too Much?, S. Ray Smith, Tom Keene, Krista Cotten

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Horse owners and managers have known for many years that endophyte infected tall fescue can cause a variety of issues with late term pregnant mares. Research has shown that grazing pure stands induces extreme physiological changes, while grazing pastures completely free of E+ tall fescue is virtually safe. However few pastures are pure stands or completely free of tall fescue. We know that the “danger level” changes over the seasons and that management can greatly reduce the risk of mares grazing infected pastures. Understanding what is “too much” can help us weigh the risks of symptoms to the cost of …

What Fescue Toxicosis Is Really Doing Inside Your Animals, Glen E. Aiken

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Eighty years have passed since Dr. F.N. Fergus collected seed of tall fescue from that hillside at the Suiter Farm in Menifee County that led to the commercial release of the cultivar ‘Kentucky 31’. Fescue provided an opportunity to replace the briar and weed patches that dominated the rocky hillsides of Kentucky with productive forage. Plantings of tall fescue were numerous in the state during the 1940s and 1950s, and its hardiness and adaptability resulted in the grass spreading over much of the middle and upper southeastern USA, eventually covering a region we now call the “fescue belt”. It did …

New Tall Fescue Varieties For The Future, Timothy D. Phillips

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Over the past few decades forage producers have seen several major changes in varieties of tall fescue. From the days of Kentucky 31 being the predominant variety, the first change was the first generation of endophyte-free tall fescue varieties. For many growers, these have been useful additions, especially when coupled with rotational grazing to reduce the risks of overgrazing, and practices of eradication of stands of toxic endophyte pastures and prevention of the reintroduction of toxic endophyte tall fescue seed into stands of endophyte-free varieties. However, overall these varieties often lacked the persistence of Kentucky 31 infected with the common …

Tall Fescue In Kentucky: The First 80 Years, Garry D. Lacefield

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Tall fescue is a native of Europe. The exact date of its’ introduction into the United States is not known, but likely came as a contaminant in meadow fescue seed from England prior to 1880 (Figure 1). Tall Fescue was an entry in the National Herbarium Collection in 1879 and was grown in plots in Utah, Kentucky and Maryland (USDA) in 1880. In 1916, tall fescue plants were identified in Pullman, Washington with some of these plants taken to Corvallis, Oregon in 1918. Selections out of this initial planting were released in 1945 as the variety Alta.

Foreword [2012], Garry D. Lacefield, Christi L. Forsythe

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

No abstract provided.

Changes To The Equine Hindgut Microflora In Response To Antibiotic Challenge, Brittany E. Harlow

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Antibiotics are important to equine medicine, but can cause detrimental side-effects including reduced feed intake, allergic reactions, and diarrhea. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) is attributed to disruption of the hindgut microflora, permitting proliferation of pathogenic microbes. The objectives were to evaluate the effects of antibiotics on beneficial fecal bacteria, AAD-associated pathogens, microbial species richness and fermentation. Horses were assigned to treatment groups: control (no antibiotics, n=6), trimethoprim-sulfadiazine (oral, n=6), or sodium ceftiofur (IM, n=6). Fecal samples were taken during adaptation (3 wk), antibiotic challenge (1 wk), and withdrawal (1 wk). Fecal cellulolytics decreased by >99% during challenge and did not recover …

In Ovo Selenium (Se) Injection Of Incubating Chicken Eggs: Effects On Embryo Viability, Tissue Se Concentration, Lipid Peroxidation, Immune Response And Post Hatch Development, Lizza M. Macalintal

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Studies were conducted to investigate the effects of in ovo injection of selenium (Se) either as seleno-methionine (Se-Met) or sodium selenite (Na₂SeO₃) into the yolk of incubating eggs on tissue Se concentration, embryo livability, lipid peroxidation, immune response and growth performance. When white-shelled eggs were injected with 0.1ml of solutions providing 0, 2.5, 5, 10 or 20 μg Se/egg, no detrimental effects on embryo viability at 20 days of incubation were noted. The effects on tissue Se concentrations suggested that Se-Met and Na₂SeO₃ were metabolized differently by the chick embryo. In a subsequent …

Foraging And Roosting Behaviors Of Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bat (Corynorhinus Rafinesquii) At The Northern Edge Of The Species Range, Joseph S. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Bat populations in the eastern United States are currently declining at unprecedented rates as a result of habitat loss, commercial wind energy development, and white-nose syndrome. Effective conservation of these declining populations requires knowledge of several aspects of summer and winter ecology, including daytime habitat use (day-roost selection and social behaviors), nocturnal habitat use (foraging habitat selection, prey selection, and prey abundance), and winter hibernation (torpor) patterns. This dissertation addresses these questions for Rafinesque’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii), a species of conservation concern in the southeastern United States. Kentucky represents the northern edge of the range of Rafinesque’s …

Effect Of Feeding A Blend Of Naturally-Contaminated Corn On Nutrient Digestibility And Feed Preference In Weanling Pigs, Carlos Santiago Escobar

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of feeding diets with a 2009 and 2010 naturally-contaminated corn to weaning pigs. For both experiments three diets were blended to contain 100% 2010 naturally-contaminated corn (control), 50-50% blend of the 2009 naturally-contaminated corn and 2010 corn (Diet 2), and 100% 2009 naturally-contaminated corn (Diet 3). In Exp. 1, 24 crossbred pigs with an average body weight of 7.64 ± 0.70 kg were allotted to 4 replicates of 3 treatments with 2 pigs per pen, on the basis of gender, litter mate, and BW in a randomized complete block design. Fecal and …

Evaluating The Effects Of Maternal And Progeny Dietary Supplementation Of Selenium Yeast And Vitamin E On The Performance Of Broiler-Breeder Hens And Performance And Meat Quality Of Progeny, Anthony D. Quant

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The objectives of these experiments were to evaluate the effects of selenium (Se) and vitamin E (Vit.E) supplementation in maternal and progeny diets on the performance of breeder hens and the performance and meat quality characteristics of progeny.

Inclusion of Se, as Se yeast, in the diets of developing broiler breeder pullets resulted in greater Se accumulation of Se (P<0.01) in liver, pancreas, and breast tissues than when Se yeast was not provided. Improving the overall Se status of breeder pullets in the early stages may help maintain adequate tissue Se concentrations during egg production.

Maternal supplementation of Se yeast and Vit.E increased the liver and breast Se concentration (P<0.05) of newly hatched chicks compared to the chicks originating from hens not receiving dietary Se. At 7d of age, Se yeast supplementation in either the chick or maternal diet increased breast and liver Se concentrations (P<0.01). At 14d of age, breast and liver Se concentrations remained the highest for chicks supplemented with Se yeast (P<0.01), however there was no effect of maternal Se supplementation. Vitamin E supplementation in either the chick or maternal diets did not affect the liver Vit.E concentrations of chicks at 7 or 14d of age.

Supplementing broiler diets with Se yeast and Vit.E improved the meat quality characteristics of raw and marinated breast fillets. The Se …

Influence Of Dietary Selenium Supplementation Form On Hepatic Transcriptome Profiles Of Maturing Beef Heifers, Zhi Zhang

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Our objective was to know how the hepatic transcriptome expression of growing beef (Angus-cross) heifers (0.5 kg gain/day) was affected by the feeding of different sources of dietary (3 mg/day) Se supplements: inorganic Se (ISe, sodium selenite), organic (OSe, Sel-Plex®), or a blend (1.5 mg:1.5 mg) of ISe:OSe (Mix), compared to the adequate but non-Se supplemented “Control”. The biopsied hepatic tissues of these four groups heifers collected at day 168 (when liver Se assimilation had stabilized) after supplements of Se, was subjected to the microarray analysis to assess Se treatment effects.

The results suggest that there were clear differences in …

Prescribed Grazing On Pasturelands, Lynn E. Sollenberger, Carmen T. Agouridis, Eric S. Vanzant, Alan J. Franzluebbers, Lloyd B. Owens

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Slow Release Urea On Nitrogen Metabolism In Cattle, Vaughn B. Holder

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of slow release urea on N metabolism in cattle. The ruminal behavior of Optigen®II and the effect of basal diet on the in situ degradability of urea and Optigen®II were evaluated. The effect of slow release urea and its interaction with degradable intake protein (DIP) level in the diet on N retention and excretion was evaluated utilizing 8 Holstein steers in a 4 x 4 Latin square experiment. In addition, the effect of slow release urea and DIP level on ruminal and systemic urea kinetics was evaluated using stable isotope …

The Influence Of Selenium Status On Immune Function And Antioxidant Status In The Horse, Mieke Brummer

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Selenium (Se) has received a lot of attention for its antioxidant and immune modulating properties. Yet, comparably few studies have focused on the horse. Therefore the objectives of this research were to evaluate the influences of Se status on immune function and antioxidant defense in horses. Twenty eight horses were allocated to one of 4 dietary Se treatments: low (LS), adequate (AS), high organic (SP) and high inorganic (SS). First, horses assigned to LS, SP and SS were depleted of Se and received a low Se diet (0.07 ppm Se) for 35 wk, while AS received an adequate Se diet …

Evaluation Of Vascular Changes In Cattle Relative To Time-Off Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue, Jessica R. Bussard

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Twenty-four steers were grazed on endophyte (Neotyphodium coenophialum)-infected [[Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh]; E+] tall fescue (TF) and exposed to ergot alkaloids for an 106-d grazing period. Cattle were removed from pasture, placed in dry lots, and fed a non-toxic diet to evaluate changes in vascular contraction relative to time-off E+ TF pasture. Lateral saphenous veins (SV) were biopsied from steers at 0-, 21-, 42-, and 63-d off TF pasture and from 6 control steers at 0- and 63-d off bermudagrass (BG) pasture. To evaluate contractile response, biopsied SV were exposed to increasing concentrations of ergotamine in a multimyograph. Cross-sectional scans …

Controlling Weeds In Horse And Cattle Pastures, Byron Sleugh, Robert Masters

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Weed control is one of the most talked about concerns of forage-animal systems. Producers will sometimes pay more attention to some pests than others and more so in some crops than others. For example, a producer may have a very low threshold for weed infestation in their corn, soybean or tobacco field but will have a very high tolerance for weeds in their pastures. This is usually because the “direct” dollar value of the forage is not seen while we can “see” how a reduction in soybean or corn yield will affect the bottom line of our operation. Vegetation manipulation …

Endophyte In Tall Fescue: Impact On Horses And Cattle, S. Ray Smith, Krista Cotton

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh.] is an introduced cool-season perennial grass from Europe. Originally imported for regularly flooded pastures, tall fescue is now widespread across the United States due to its adaptability of a wide range of soils and climate. Kentucky 31 tall fescue is the ecotype discovered in 1931 by E.N. Fergus, which launched its popularity as a dependable, adaptable, and palatable pasture crop. In the mid-1970s, the negative effects caused by consuming tall fescue were termed fescue toxicosis. The source of fescue toxicosis was not identified until Charles Bacon first reported evidence of an endophytic fungus …

Strategies For Reducing Losses To Forage Related Disorders, Jeff Lehmkuhler

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Forage induced disorders are not uncommon. These may be the result of poor harvesting and storage, symbiotic relationships with other organism such as endophtye-infected tall fescue, or environmentally induced. Poisonous plants can also be problematic when they are present in areas where cattle actively graze or forage is harvested. Yet, in many instances, problems are rare and often limited not affecting the entire herd. A primary management strategy is to ensure forage availability is not limiting forcing cattle to consume poisonous plants. Additionally, farming involves a given amount of management in all daily activities and one cannot simply ignore the …

Hay For Horses: Needs And Wants, Laurie Lawrence

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Hay producers have to satisfy two types of clients, horses and humans. Horses need clean hay that has a nutritional value that is appropriate for the requirements of the horse. Clients want hay that IS consistent, convenient and cost effective. So, in many cases the “needs” of the horse and “wants” of the human are not exactly the same.